Current Affairs Quiz-September, 2020

Notes:
The United States of America (USA) has recently revoked the Visas of more than 1,000 Chinese students and researchers.
The move is under the directions of the US President Donald Trump in May 2020. The proclamation is aimed at Chinese nationals who are suspected to have ties with Chinese military. In this regard, China has accused US of racial discrimination.

Notes:
The Government of India has set up a Panel for assessment of relief to borrowers.
It is a 3-member panel headed by Rajiv Mehrishi, who is the former Comptroller and Auditor General of India. The panel will measure the impact of the pandemic related restrictions on Indian economy and also study the viability of waiving interest on interest on the pandemic-related moratorium.

Notes:
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has become the first Indian company to surpass USD 200 billion in market capitalisation. The RIL had market capitalisation of Rs.15.3 trillion (USD 208 billion).
RIL is followed by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) with market capitalization of Rs 8.75 trillion (USD 119 billion). RIL is the 40th most valuable firm globally.

Notes:
The Carpet Export Promotion Council (CEPC) was established by the Ministry of Textiles in 1982, to promote export of Carpets and other allied Products from India.
Recently, CEPC was in news as the organization has announced a three-day virtual Buyer-Seller Meet. The programme is to focus on Australia and adjoining countries, as India is the biggest exporter of handmade carpets to those countries.

Notes:
According to the Asian Development Bank, Asia’s economy will contract for the first time since the early 1960s.
The bank had earlier projected that the GDP would grow by 0.1 per cent. Now, it is estimated that Asia’s GDP would decline by 0.7 per cent in 2020 and would increase to 7.7 per cent in 2021. It also highlighted that the GD in India would contract by 9% this year.

Notes:
China has successfully launched a solid-propellant carrier rocket from a ship in the Yellow Sea and successfully sent nine satellites into orbit.
This is the country’s second such sea-based launch mission. The tenth rocket of the Long March 11 family, the Long March 11-HY2 was launched carrying nine remote-sensing satellites belonging to the Jilin-1 Gaofen 03-1 group.

Notes:
The 10th Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) Group Meeting between India and the United States.
This meeting was held as a part of the Indo-US Bilateral Defence Cooperation. DTTI Group Meetings are held twice a year, hosted alternatively by India and the United States. During the virtual meet held this year, a Statement of Intent on Defence technology cooperation was also signed.

Notes:
The former President of West African nation Mali, Moussa Traore, has recently passed away at the age of 83.
The veteran leader had ruled the African country for more than 22 years. Eight years after Mali gained independence from France, Traore entered into power in a military rebellion, succeeding the country’s first president, Modibo Keita.

Notes:
The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen delivered her first annual State of the European Union address.
During the address, she urged the EU members to build a stronger European health union. She also announced the creation of a new agency for biomedical advanced research and development (BARDA). She also proposed to convene a global health summit next year.

Notes:
The World Trade Organization (WTO) has ruled that tariff barriers (additional tariffs) imposed by USA in 2018 on Chinese goods is inconsistent with international trading norms.
This has come as a severe blow to the US administration. The ruling was pronounced by a 3-member panel of WTO, against the USD 200 billion in levies imposed by USA on a range of Chinese goods in 2018.